Stained Glass
by 6sixteen
Summary: '...I'm innocent still- inside me are stained glass windows that have never been broken- and when I see your light it stains my soul with color...' -John Geddes/ Beth buys a broken house/ Daryl helps her fix it/ AU/ Bethyl
1. Chapter 1

**S**_t_**a_i_**n**e**d_ G_l**a**s**_s_**

Chapter 1

All of the things Beth Greene is good at can be listed using one single hand.

Index Finger: She can sing

Middle Finger: She can play the piano

Ring Finger: She is good with children

Pinkie Finger: She makes a mean tuna casserole

and Thumb: She is pretty damn good at newspaper crossword puzzles.

Everything else she can do she does 'eh', and if she isn't 'eh' at it then she probably can't do it at all. And those things, those things she couldn't even think of counting on one hand, or any hand for that matter, because there are just too damn many of them.

Beth makes many rash decisions in her life. She once drank a whole bottle of diet coke in 30 minutes and then proceeded to burp for the three following hours only because sister Maggie told her that she wouldn't do it. Then one time she decided that it would be a good idea to get in her car and drive to New York City from Georgia. She got to about South Carolina when she ran out of gas and cried on the phone to her Dad and begged him to come get her.

Now, years after all of those incidents, she is standing in front of her new house. Yes, she bought a house. She's barely 22 and she owns a house on the edge of Senoia, very close to Peachtree City, that is in need of _a lot_ of work. More than she can probably handle.

But did that stop her from buying the place? Of course not, this is Beth Greene. Impulsive, silly, and incredibly optimistic Beth Greene. So of course she bought it. On the bright side it has very nice stained glass windows on the top two floors.

The front of the house is decaying. The white paint is chipped and fading, and the front door is cyan blue with cracks of the under paint, red, coming through. It has character, a lot of character. There is a wrap around porch, which is caving in a bit, and there is a peak with a circular window and a triangle roof. Beth loves it. Loves the messy, old house.

She walks up to the small For Sale sign that is pushed into the dying grass and pulls it out. With a satisfied smile Beth carries the sign up to the house with her.

She hasn't been inside. When she bought it all she had were the images of the outside of the house and the details of the layout. No one has stepped inside the home since it was abandoned, and no one really knows exactly when that was- So Beth has no real idea how long the house has sat here. She thinks it has been here for too long, a hidden gem in the woods of Georgia.

Beth walks up the creaking front steps to the cyan blue front door. She takes the key to the house out of the front pocket of her overalls and pushes it into the door knob. The house smells like mold and dust when she pushes the door open.

There is no light coming into the first floor because most of the windows on this level are boarded up. Beth squints her eyes in the darkness and fumbles with the sign and her purse so she can get her phone out.

She drops the sign on the ground with a loud smack as she rummages through her purse. Beth is also very forgetful, that can be added to the list of adjectives to describe Beth Greene.

She groans when she realizes that her phone is definitely not inside her pocket book.

With a huff, Beth makes her way through the house slowly. She stubs her two only twice and both times were on the same exact chair.

There is a light coming from the top of the stairs and Beth sighs in relief. Slowly, since the stairs look like they might collapse beneath her, Beth makes her way to the second floor. The sunlight is coming through the open windows in thick layers of yellow and gold.

Beth smiles as she looks around the second floor landing. This was the exact reason she bought this house, it's beautiful. The second floor is in much better condition than the first. The floor is cleared off and there doens't seem to be a speck of dust or ivy in sight.

Beth walks down the hallway and sticks her head into the first room she comes across.

"Oh my God," She says loudly and falls back, landing flat onto her ass.

There, standing in the first room on the second floor is a strange man. His hair is short and sticking up in all directions as if he has just woken up from a nap.

He raises his arms and shows his hands to Beth.

"Relax, relax," He says quickly waving his hands at her, "I'm not gonna hurt you, seriously! I didn't know anyone owned the place."

"What are you doing in my house?" Beth yells from her position on the ground in the hallway. She feels satisfied at that, it _is _her house now.

The man steps forward, his hands still raised. "I've been… kind of sleeping here," He says slowly.

"You… you what?! You've been squatting in my house!?" She yells back to him.

"In my defence!" The man says, "It isn't very obvious that someone lives here. I mean, the 'For Sale' sign didn't help either."

"I just bought it. Doesn't mean you can just go around living in abandoned houses!" Beth says loudly, "What is wrong with you?"

She realizes that she is still sitting on her ass and she jumps to pull herself up.

He steps forward as if he is going to help but Beth shoots him a glare. He raises his hands up in defeat and steps away.

The dirt and grime of the floor stick to her pants as she stands. She groans out a 'gross' as she runs her hands over her pants to get rid of the dust and dirt.

"You have to leave!" She says loudly pointing towards the stairwell, "Like now!"

The guy sighs and nods, "Yeah, yeah. I'll get out of here."

Beth watches him pick up his belongings from the room with her hands on her hips. He does this slowly as if he is waiting for her to stop him. She won't, nope, never, this new Beth Greene is a tough ass and she definitely does not give pity to house squatters. Even the handsome house squatters with the really blue eyes. She shakes her head and lets the thought fly out of her.

"Why's a girl like you buyin' a house like this, huh?" The man asks a he shoves a poncho into his ratty backpack.

"It's nice," Beth says with conviction.

The man snorts at her, "Yeah, it's a nice piece of shit."

Beth shoots him a glare, "Hey! Don't talk about my house like that!"

"Sorry to hurt your house's feelin's, darlin'. Ain't you too young to be ownin' a house on your own? 'Specially one that needs this much work?" He asks. He stands up straight and pulls his backpack over his shoulders. Beth tries not to focus on his very nice muscles.

"I'm 22 for your information! Besides, I can handle fixing this up," Beth says with a tilt of her chin, "You'll see. It'll be amazin' when I'm done with it."

"Girl, you even know how to use a hammer?" He asks with a bit of a smirk playing on her face.

Is he teasing her? The squatter? Teasing? Her?

Beth scowls deeply at him, "Course I know how to use a damn hammer!"

The man shrugs at her answer, "I'll believe it when I see it." He begins to walk towards her and Beth moves aside so he can exit the room.

"You're not gonna see me use a hammer because you are leavin'," She says with a wave of her arm, "Now! You're leavin' now!" She places her hands on his backpack and begins to push him, gently, towards the stairwell.

He doesn't move very much under her touch, in fact Beth knows for a fact that her pushes are doing absolutely nothing other than annoying the hell out of him.

Beth continues to push him down the stairs as he says, "Your Daddy gonna help clean the place up? You better tell him that the furnace is shot, the coil is burnt out. You're gonna need a new one."

"I could have figured that out, _sir_. My Daddy ain't helpin' me. I'm doing this on my own," Beth says sternly.

She pushes him down to the bottom of the stairs. She misses a step and swears as she lands on her foot, hard.

"Also," The man says, "All of the electrical is burnt. Gonna need a new circuit board, new wiring, new… hell you gonna need new everything, girl."

"I will figure it out," Beth says stubbornly. She eases her foot down and steps on it experimentally before beginning to walk towards the front door.

She stubs her toe again on that same god damn chair as she passes it. She doesn't say a word as the man behind her snickers at her.

Beth gets to the front door and throws it open, promptly causing the door to fall off the hinges and collapse onto the front porch.

"Jesus," Beth says as the door collides with the wooden ground.

"I think you're gonna need some help," The man behind her says.

Beth looks over her shoulder to the older man and scowls. He just seems so… so satisfied with himself. He knew that Beth wouldn't be able to do this on her own. This whole time he has been putting it into her head that he can help her. He must really need a place to stay or maybe he just really likes this house. It's been all of five minutes and he has Beth convinced that he will help her rebuild this house, without even _saying_ those words.

Another thing that Beth Greene is, is good. She is just a genuinely good person.

"I ain't askin' you for help," Beth says looking up to him, "But… _But_…"

He raises his eyebrows knowingly at her, his lips pulled up in a slight, _slight_ smirk.

"If you just so happened to want to help I wouldn't say no," Beth says.

"Well shit, girl. You askin' me to move in with you?" He asks in amusement.

Beth throws her arms up in the air in defeat.

"No one is living in this house until it is fixed up. Seriously! Don't you try and come sneak back into here!" Beth says pointing her long finger at him.

The man nods in agreement and raises his hands in defeat as he did earlier, "Yes, ma'm."

Beth puffs out a breath of air and blows her hair out of her face. She heads down the porch towards her car and pulls out the keys from her bag.

"Come on," She says looking back to him, "I hope you have some money. Cause you are stayin' at the motel…." She hesitates as she realizes that she doesn't even know his name.

"Daryl," He offers her. Beth turns to see him making his way across the front yard of her house towards her car, "Daryl Dixon," He finishes as he steps up beside her.

"Beth Greene," She says, her voice softening as she looks into his eyes.

Daryl smirks at her, "Careful, girl. Don't go fallin' in love with me."

Beth huffs and rolls her eyes, ignoring the way her heart jumps at the words 'love' and 'falling' in one sentence.

"Let's just get out of here," She says as she heads around her car towards the driver's seat.

When they are both in the car, Beth finds herself smiling without really meaning to. What a weird, unusual, strange twist of fate.

Beth takes a deep breath as they drive off towards the Motel, leaving her new house in the rear view mirror for another day.

* * *

**Let me know what you think! **

**No Beta**


	2. Chapter 2

**S**_t_**a_i_**n**e**d_ G_l**a**s**_s_**

2.

When Beth goes to the motel to look for Daryl the next morning she is a bit disappointed to find that he is already gone. Disappointed but not surprised. In fact Beth finds herself mumbling profane things about the man all the way to her half destroyed house.

She shouldn't be that upset. Daryl wasn't anyone to her, not really. Just some stranger that was sleeping in her house for who knows how long. Not that that affected her in anyway. She didn't own the place until, well.. Yesterday. So it's not that big of a deal that he's up and left- probably off to find some other abandoned house he can sleep in.

She tries to force squatter Daryl Dixon out of her mind as she assesses the damage of her house.

It's not awful. Really, it could be a lot worse. She may or may not need a new roof, and she may or may not need to rebuild the wrap around porch, but it's sweet. It's a cute house with a nice view of the woods and it is even close to Line Creek so Beth can just take a walk to see water.

Yeah, it's a mess and it needs some work but at least it's her mess.

Maybe that isn't an exciting thing to admit.

Beth keeps her flashlight ready as she steps up the front porch (and over the fallen cyan door that she never bothered to put back on the door frame) and steps inside her house.

The smell of mold is slightly less repulsive today, probably because the door was left open, and Beth finds herself thanking the heavens for that.

The floor creaks as she walks over it and she is only slightly worried that it will cave in on her.

She turns the flashlight on and examines the front room.

The most exciting part of this house is that it is huge. The front room alone puts her family farm's house to shame. Beth finds herself smiling at the room, even though the paint is chipping and parts of the ceiling are hanging off (she's sure that's an easy fix) because it's just simply beautiful.

She walks through the front room, careful to avoid the devil chair that continuously stubs her toe, and into the next room over.

She guesses it's the dining room. There is a long table still in place in the center of the room. The walls are dark with wood paneling and a chandelier is hanging from the ceiling in pieces. Most of it, Beth notices, is shattered on the table and onto the floor.

She turns to the next door and finds herself in her kitchen. Her kitchen. Her very own kitchen. She almost squeals in excitement as she walks into the tiled room.

It's a lot cleaner than the rest of the house- actually it's almost liveable. Almost.

The appliances are hanging open and are broken but the floor is a spotless off beige color and the walls are a warm yellow. She smiles wide as she assesses the granite counter tops and the dark wood cabinets.

It perfect. Really. The whole place is just amazing.

Beth looks back around to the back door and her smile widens (if that is possible) as she sees the back yard.

It's as large as the house, maybe even bigger. She can see a small patio and enough space to count as its own property.

She really lucked out on this place.

Just as she thinks that she hears a large crack from above her. She has barely enough time to step back before a good portion of the ceiling is falling down.

Beth coughs and lifts her shirt to hide her face from the smoky debris.

Okay, so maybe she isn't lucky.

Beth waves away as much dust as she can. The ceiling isn't completely missing, just the bottom layer of plaster is now laying on her kitchen floor. That's not that bad. It could be worse.

Beth keeps telling herself that it could be worse as she steps over the fallen debris.

After walking through the whole first floor and then most of the second, Beth decides that she is going to have to hire a professional. She knew that she would have to anyway, but she had hoped that there was some tiny piece of the house that she could fix up on her own. It turns out that the whole place is basically in ruins.

Beth groans loudly as she exits the house, stepping over that God damn cyan door, and into the front yard.

A low rumbling sound fills her ears and gradually gets louder as if it is getting closer to her house. She watches in confusion as a motorcycle comes up the gravel path of her driveway and into view.

Beth was often told that she is perceptive. When she was younger she could always read people, see things that other people couldn't see, and just be generally observant. Now she isn't sure why anyone even allows her to drive her car. She's about as oblivious as a fly. So she doesn't notice that it's Daryl until he is stepping off of the bike and walking towards her.

He lets out a low whistle as he stops beside her and looks at he house.

"Looks almost finished," he teases, "you been workin' at it all day?" He throws a sly smile down to her.

Beth frowns deeply as she looks between him and the bike.

"Aren't you homeless? No offense," she says quickly.

"None taken."

"How do you have motorcycle?" Beth asks looking at the metal contraption in wonder, as if she's never seen a bike before.

Daryl shrugs, "You never asked if I was homeless."

Beth's mouth falls open as she looks up at him, "If you aren't then what the hell were you doing squatting in my house?"

Daryl shrugs, "I got in it with my brother and went hunting. I was just stayin' here while I was out for the weekend. Didn't think a small blonde was gonna buy the place."

"Instead of sleeping in a tent you just break into houses and sleep there?" She asks in disbelief, "that's insane!"

He shrugs, again, "It was rainin'."

Beth decides that Daryl Dixon is the most infuriating man she has ever met.

"So you just come back here to make me look like an idiot then?" She asks throwing her best accusatory side glance at him.

Daryl shakes his head and nods in the direction of the house.

"I think it's fixable," he says, "I just don't think you can do it on your own. 'Sides you'd probably hunt me down and force me to help you if I didn't come back."

Beth feels her cheeks burn at that. She's a bit abrasive sometimes- sometimes meaning all the time, and something about Daryl calling her out on that is a bit embarrassing.

Beth clears her throat and looks away. Her house seems sad as she stares at it. Not that houses have feelings. But if they did this would be a very sad house.

"Well," Beth says, "The kitchen ceiling caved in, the front steps are about to give, there is ivy growing inside the tower on the third floor and I'm pretty sure there is a wild animal in the attic." Beth looks up to Daryl as she finishes speaking.

"Where would you like to start?" She asks.

Daryl scratches his chin in thought.

"I ain't never opposed to catchin' wild animals," he says. He gives Beth a small smirk and she feels her stomach do a wild flip.

Of course she is attracted to the not so homeless squatter she met yesterday. Of course.

She raises her arms towards the house and says, "After you Exterminator Daryl."

"S'not my official title but I'll take it," he jokes as he takes the first steps towards the house.

"Oh, and we should fix this damn door," he says as he passes over the pile of cyan wood on the porch.

"Should burn the damn thing," Beth says under breath.

The first thing she realizes that day, and maybe it's the first thing she's ever really, really realized, is that she is in love with Daryl Dixon's laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

**S**_t_**a_i_**n**e**d_ G_l**a**s**_s_**

3.

"You actually paid money for this thing?"

Beth and Maggie are staring up at the messy house. Maggie came from where she lives, with her husband Glenn Rhee up in Atlanta just to see how much Beth has lost her mind. Once she arrived and stepped out of the car she realized that her baby sister has gone completely insane.

"Well, in my defense it was dirt cheap," Beth says to her sister.

Maggie snorts, "Well I would hope so. This thing is falling apart, Bethy."

"It really isn't that bad, Mags."

"You don't even have a door!" Maggie says gesturing towards the fallen cyan door on the front porch, "Also it looks like the roof is going to cave in!"

Beth finds herself shrugging, "It has some nice parts."

"Yeah every house has some nice parts, Bethy. But what about the rest of it? How are you going to fix this place up anyway? You'll have to hire a contractor!" Maggie says loudly. She gestures up to the house and turns to look at her sister, "Have you lost your mind?"

"Probably," Beth says as she looks between Maggie and her house, "Have a little faith, Mags. It is going to be amazing when it is done."

Maggie sighs loudly, "If you say so. I can't believe you bought a house." She shakes her head in disbelief.

Beth smiles at Maggie and then says, "You should see the stained glass windows."

Maggie rolls her eyes but a smile is playing on her lips.

Maggie knows how Beth is. She has a lot of faith in everything, even in old houses that are falling apart at the seems. When she was young, she had found a nasty abandoned cat in town. Beth had come back to the farm with scratches all over her, her fact bleeding and her skin bruised. But she had taken the cat in, she had carried it all the way from in front of the grocery store to the other side of town so that it wouldn't have to live on the streets. After a year that cat learned how to love, thanks to Beth.

Maggie looks over the house and then looks to her sister once again. Beth's face is bright and hopeful as she gazes up to the rotting house. Her eyes have that spark in them, the determined- I'm going to do this- face. It's just so Beth.

"If it means anything Glenn and I will come help when we can," Maggie says.

Beth looks over to her sister with wide eyes. "You'll both really help out?"

Maggie nods, "Of course. I may think that it was a rash stupid decision to buy a house like this one, but… if it's that important to you…"

She didn't get a chance to finish before Beth was surging forward and grabbing her sister into a bone crushing hug.

"You're the best Maggie! Between you, Glenn, me, and Daryl this place will be fixed up in no time!" Beth says as she squeezes the breath out of Maggie.

"Wait…" Maggie begins, she raises her hands up to Beth's shoulders and gently pushes her away, "Who is Daryl?"

Beth's eyes widen, "Well.. uh… um."

"Is he your boyfriend? Do you have a boyfriend?" Maggie asks in shock, "And you didn't tell me?!"

"He isn't my boyfriend!" Beth insists, "He just so happens to be this guy that I met recently who agreed to help me fix up the house. He even got rid of the raccoon that was in the attic! Only now I think there are squirrels living up there."

Maggie raises her eyebrows and gives Beth a teasing smile.

"Don't make that face," Beth pleads, "God, I hate when you smile at me like that! Cut it out!"

Maggie laughs as Beth swats her hand towards her sister.

"Do I get to meet this 'not boyfriend' of yours?" Maggie asks while wiggling her eyebrows.

"No, No you won't. Can we please just go take a look inside so you can help me with a floor plan?" Beth asks trying her best to shake the subject off.

Maggie nods but the annoying grin on her face never goes away.

Maggie is the bossy sister. Everyone knows it. When they were kids Maggie would be on the playground controlling the crowd, in her pretty blue dress and her short hair braided in a cute hairdo. She never played- no she would stand there and direct traffic and make sure that there was no one hogging the swings for too long. Recess was no fun when Maggie was around and Beth remembers how embarrassing it was to be related to her when she was in elementary school. Crazy Maggie Greene and her obsession with controlling everything. She had more control over the kids than the damn lunch aids did.

It only got worse as the two of them got older:

'Beth do this.' 'Beth do that.'

Beth feels like ripping out her hair at the thought of her sister standing there bossing her around when they were teenagers. Now, with a 4 year age difference there is less bossing and more suggestive criticism. Which Beth would take over the bossiness any day.

One thing that is very good about bossy-over controlling Maggie is that she is good at making game plans. So as the pair walk through the house Beth allows Maggie to take the reigns and start the planning for the house.

Beth also thinks that it is easier this way, she was never good at being organized or planning anything or designing anything. She isn't good at anything like this really. (She doesn't think she would be able to rebuild this house if it wasn't for Maggie and Daryl but Beth would never admit that to her already doubtful sister).

Maggie pulls out her phone and takes pictures of each room and uses a pen and notepad to draw out the floor plan. Beth simply follows her around and stares at the cracking walls and ceiling. When the whole place has been drawn out Beth can't help but let out a sigh of relief, there is only so much of bossy-Maggie that Beth can take in one day.

"So I think that if you get rid of this wall," Maggie says as she points out a wall in the front room, "Then you can open up the dining room and then maybe you should take the wall down between the kitchen and the dining room as well."

Beth wants to groan loudly and throw her hands in the air. She refrains from doing both of these things as she sits in the grass in front of the house.

The sound of a motorcycle fills the air and Beth perks up immediately. She straightens her back and watches happily as Daryl's bike comes into view.

"Oh my god," Maggie says under her breath, "That isn't Daryl is it?"

Beth nods quickly but never turns to look to her sister.

"Seriously?" Maggie says under her breath, "A motorcycle?"

The bike comes to a stop next to Beth's car. She continues to watch as he cuts the engine and hops off the bike.

He comes up to the two of them in the grass.

"Working hard I see," He jokes looking between Beth and Maggie.

Beth smiles up to him, "Well I can't do anything without my man power."

"Ah, good. When he gets here let me know," Daryl says as he takes a seat in the grass beside the two girls.

"Thought you had to work all day?" Beth asks looking to Daryl with shiny blue eyes. Maggie doesn't remember the last time she saw Beth so excited about a boy before. None of her old boyfriends made Beth's eyes sparkle with admiration. She thinks that there just must be something about this Daryl guy that causes tough as nails Beth to go weak at the knees.

"Got to leave early. Thought that I would come here, since I ain't got nothin' better to do with my free time then help some crazy ass blonde with her half standin' house," He says this all with a light curl of his lips.

Maggie starts to grin as she watches Beth's face turn a light red color.

Beth looks to her sister and Maggie's eyes scream, 'oh my god you like him!'

Beth has to bite her lip and look away, so that she doesn't grin like a fool and embarrass herself.

"We were just workin' on the floor plan," Maggie says taking the attention off of the very pink Beth. She extends her hand out towards Daryl, "I'm Maggie Rhee." She smiles at him as he raises his hand and shakes hers, "Daryl Dixon."

Maggie hands him the pen and pad. "Here is what I think is best for this house. You should get started as soon as possible, my husband Glenn and I can come down and help out on the weekends when we have time."

Daryl nods, "Looks good to me. What you think, girl? It's your house." He tosses the pad over to Beth and it lands in her lap with a light smack.

"I think it's going to be amazin'," Beth says with a smile. Daryl's lips curl once again into a half smile.

Maggie can't help herself but grin like a fool as she watches the two. They are adorable, tooth rottingly cute even. Who knows- this could be the beginning of a relationship.

"Well," Maggie says, "I think I am going to stop by Daddy's for a visit. I will come back tomorrow to help out with the demolition. You know how I love to break things."

Beth laughs at her, "Yeah, I sure do."

Maggie kisses the top of Beth's head and waves goodbye to Daryl as she walks off towards her car.

Beth looks to Daryl then and then sneaks a peak over to her house.

"Should we just leave it for tomorrow?" She asks.

Daryl shrugs, "Whatever you want, darlin'."

Beth looks at Daryl for a moment without speaking. She can't believe she even thought of letting the stranger that was sleeping in her house become a part of her life. But here she is, sitting across from the devilishly handsome man and his big blue eyes.

"Wanna get a drink?" Beth asks suddenly, before she can really think about it.

Daryl considers it for a moment and then nods, "Yeah. Sure. You ever ride a bike 'fore?"

Beth shakes her head but says, "I'm about to ain't, I?"

Daryl smirks and stands helping Beth up after him.

"Until tomorrow Hell House," Beth calls over her shoulder. Daryl chuckles lightly at her, "Yeah, until tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

**S**_t_**a_i_**n**e**d_ G_l**a**s**_s_**

4.

Beth isn't sure why she likes Daryl so much. He's rude- sometimes, he teases her, he has an attitude, and not to mention she met him because he was squatting in her house. In fact Beth has every reason not to like Daryl Dixon. But for some reason, as she is walking into her house by herself, she realizes it's weird not having him standing next to her.

They had torn down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room and then the wall between the front room and the dining room. The house seems more open. Huge and airy and Beth thinks that as soon as they get the real windows in it will be even nicer.

She doesn't know why she came to the house today. She was going to stay home at her Dad's and just relax- maybe go out and apply for a real job. But she didn't. She had woken up, gotten dressed, and drove straight to her house without thinking about it.

It's not exactly ready to be in. She can't simply come to her house and sit on the couch and watch tv. But it felt like she needed to be there. To breathe in the stale air, to run her fingers over the stained glass windows on the second floor.

She has probably lost her mind. Honestly. What 22 year old would go out and buy a house on a whim? Especially one that doesn't have a job and is living off of the monthly checks from her Mother's savings account. Which just so happened to be in Beth's name and only Beth's name.

She wonders what her mom would think of her. Her sweet baby girl living off of someone else's money and only half trying to make a way for herself. Saying beth was even half trying was generous. The only big step she has taken since her mother's passing was buying this house.

Beth sighs deeply and looks around her. She knows every part of this house by heart. Every crack, every mark, every piece of plaster that is hanging off of the walls. Yet every time she looks at it she feels as if she is seeing it for the first time.

She drops her bag onto the dirty ground and sits, her legs crossed, next to it.

Sometimes she really wishes her mother was still around. To pull her into her arms and softly whisper words. That is what Beth wants. Just to see her mother again. To smell her perfume, to have her run her fingers through Beth's hair.

Beth closes her eyes. In her mind she can see it- the finished house. Light green paint on the walls, all of the windows thrown open- the warm Georgia air coming in.

The sound of the back door flying open and Maggie comes running in. Her smile wide and in her arms is a dark haired baby. The child cooes and reaches out to beth. From upstairs Beth's mom will appear. Carrying a basket of laundry. She will stop and place a kiss on the baby's check before smiling at her daughter.

Beth feels like she might cry. She opens her eyes and let's the illusion fall away.

A low rumble fills Beth's ears and she sits up in surprise. She sees the motorcycle come into view through the hole where her door should be.

Beth watches as Daryl gets off the bike and cuts the engine. He looks at her car before turning towards the house and heading inside.

Before he gets to the door he sees her. His face turning into a bit of s smile.

"Hey Beth," he says walking up the porch steps and through the door frame, "What are you doing here?"

Beth tilts her head, "What are you doing here?" She asks back.

Daryl smirks. He pulls a measuring tape out of his leather jacket and holds it up for her to see.

"Was gonna measure the door frame. My brother's girl has a door she's replacin' says its fallin' apart but it should be good to just have so the crits don't get in." He watches her closely as he returns the measuring tape to his pocket.

"What's going on with you?" He asks eyeing her cautiously.

Beth realizes that she must looks crazy- although she's sure that there isn't much more someone would need to think she's crazy- as she sits in the center of a half destroyed room with tears in her eyes. She rubs her face gently then stands. Her legs wobbly beneath her.

"I just..." She pauses, "I wanted to look at it and see it as it could be. You know? What it would be like."

Daryl nods knowingly. He steps up beside her and looks around the house.

"It's gonna be whatever you want it to be," he says softly, "I'm sure that it'll be a bright color paint on the walls, all of the windows open at all times." He looks down to Beth and gives her a small smirk.

"At least that's what I think of it looking like, with you livin' here at least."

Beth smiles softly up to him. "Would be amazing," she begins, "Warm wooden furniture, bright paint, yellow curtains. Maybe I'll get a piano, put it in the corner." She pauses and sadly stares into the space she had in mind.

"My mom played piano," she says, "she taught me. After she died..." Beth stops speaking and continues to stare ahead in silence.

Daryl's warm hand falls on to her shoulder and he clears his throat awkwardly.

"We'll get you a new piano," he says with certainty.

Beth turns to look up to him with wide blue eyes.

"We?"

Daryl shuffles uneasily at that. His hand leaves her shoulder and he shoves them into his pockets.

"Well you know... I'll keep my eye out for one," he says, his voice low.

Beth smiles wide, all of her sad thoughts forgotten. There was something about a man like Daryl Dixon being nervous that made her feel better.

"I'd like that," she says continuing to smile up at him like an idiot.

"Sorry," he says softly almost in a whisper, "'bout your mom."

Beth's smile falls and she nods up to him.

"It's okay," she whispers, "thank you... For everything."

He nods his head. One of his hands leaves his pocket to scratch at his lower lip.

"You wanna get out of here?" He asks nodding towards the door, "I gotta take measurements. But then.. I don't know we can get lunch or something. If you want."

Beth's smile returns full force.

"Id like that," she says. She bends over and picks up her bag.

She helps Daryl measure the door frame and then writes the numbers down on a notepad in her purse.

When they are finished and they are walking back to their cars daryl stops and turns to her.

"My mom died when I was little," he says gently, "I know it's tough. Just want you to know that I'm here if you need anything."

Beth smiles up to him. She steps forward and wraps her arms around his waist. She holds him tightly to her and waits as his arms slowly lift to wrap around her.

"Thank you," she says against his chest for the second time that day, "for everything."

It seems like the house isn't the only thing that Daryl Dixon is slowly fixing.

* * *

**short chapter because finals are murdering my brain cells. sorry!**


	5. Chapter 5

**S**_t_**a_i_**n**e**d_ G_l**a**s**_s_**

5.

Maggie calls one morning to check and see how the house is coming.

"It's really good, Maggie," Beth says. She is sitting on the front porch of her house examining the wood below her. "I mean there is still a lot that needs to be done. But we patched up the walls that we tore down and we are getting started on ordering the new flooring. So, really it's getting done fast."

Beth wants hardwood floors. Real hardwood and Daryl had told her that it was going to be expensive and difficult to put in but she had stood her ground and looked at him with her big blue eyes until he had agreed. They had been taking measurements of the floor plan when Maggie had called.

"Plus I have a door. It's not a permanent door but it helps keep wild animals out," Beth says.

The door has a giant hole in the center of it. When Beth had asked Daryl had shook hi head, saying something about Merle's girlfriend and her ex being a dick. Beth didn't push it.

"That's great, Beth. You need to order some windows, too. Maybe we can look at windows this weekend," Maggie says cheerfully.

Beth never expected her sister to get so involved. She has been the one telling Beth to get a job, to go back to school, to get her life together. But the moment that Beth had bought the house Maggie had jumped at the opportunity to help her with it. Which Beth found surprising. She thought that her sister would rip her a new one about how irresponsible it was to go and purchase a house without a plan. But she hadn't.

"That sounds great, Mags. I'll talk to you tomorrow and figure out times," Beth says into the phone.

"Okay! Love you," Maggie says into the phone before the line goes dead.

Beth puts her phone back into her pocket and stands up from her spot on the porch.

"Hey Daryl!" She calls as she steps towards the front door.

She doesn't see him but his voice carries from where he is in the kitchen, "What?"

"The wood on the porch is about ready to fall apart," She calls back. She looks down to the porch and glares at the water damaged wood.

She looks up to see Daryl coming out of the kitchen and heading towards her, his measuring tape still in hand.

"Yeah it's pretty gross," He says looking down at it.

"Do you think we need to tear the whole thing off and rebuild it?" Beth asks with a frown.

Daryl shakes his head, "Nah, these things are meant to be sturdy so I'm guessing that there is just a few planks that need to be changed. We will get the wood when we pick up the flooring."

Beth looks up to Daryl and smiles happily.

"What would I do without you?" Beth asks.

Daryl snorts out a laugh and says, "You'd probably hire some no good asshole that would overcharge you."

Beth nudges Daryl's side with her elbow and says, "Well I am one lucky girl to have you, huh?"

Daryl opens his mouth to give her a response when a car comes into view up the driveway. Beth raises her eyebrows and then looks to Daryl as she sees the cop car coming up the road.

"What do you think they want?" She asks nervously looking between Daryl and the car.

Daryl's eyebrows are furrowed in worry. He doesn't make a move to respond to her as the car comes to a stop and a sheriff steps out of the vehicle.

"Rick," Daryl says as he sees the man coming up the porch.

"Daryl," the man named Rick says back. He nods towards Beth and she simply nods back to him.

"Ms. Greene? I'm guessing," Rick says as he looks at Beth. She nods and then extends her hand out to him.

"Beth is fine," She says, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Rick looks between Beth and Daryl before saying, "Actually Beth, I'm here to see Daryl."

Beth goes silent and looks up to the man beside her. His shoulders are tense as he looks Rick over. Something close to nervousness is settling in his eyes.

"Is it Merle?" Daryl asks Rick.

The sherif nods and Daryl curses underneath his breath.

"There ain't no way. I was with Merle this mornin' and he was fine! Hasn't touched drugs or booze since his girl moved in," Daryl says with conviction and a shake of his head, "Ain't no way."

Rick looks down sadly before looking back up to Daryl.

"He hasn't done anything wrong. Actually, he was attacked this morning. I came to get you and bring you to the hospital," Rick says this gently as he looks between Daryl and Beth.

Beth's hand lifts to Daryl's arm and settles on his bicep. He doesn't push her off but she can feel how he tenses underneath her touch.

"Is he… is he dead?" Daryl asks softly.

Rick shakes his head, "No he should be okay. We don't know too much. I thought that I should be the one to come get you instead of you getting a call from the hospital."

Daryl nods slowly and mumbles out a thanks.

"Do you know who did it? Why?" Daryl asks darkly.

Rick looks to Beth and then back to Daryl and nods his head towards the car.

"I'll tell you on the way," Rick says.

Daryl nods.

"Do.." Beth goes to speak and then stops herself completely. She bites her lip as she looks up to him.

"I'll meet you in the car," Rick says before turning and walking off leaving the two of them in silence.

Beth doesn't try and speak again as she simply holds her hand on Daryl's sleeve.

Daryl clears his throat and sighs deeply before turning to look down to Beth.

He gives her a small weak smile and says, "I'll be fine. You don't gotta come with me."

"Are you sure?" She asks thankful that he knew what she was trying to say.

Daryl nods, "I'll be alright. Just… stay here 'till I get back. I won't be long. I'm sure Merle is in good hands. I just wanna get the full story and see him for myself."

Beth nods. Her eyes never leaving Daryl's. His blue is deep and dark with a hint of worry.

Beth doesn't know what comes over her, but soon she is lifting on her tip toes and brushing her lips softly against Daryl's cheek.

"I'll wait for you," She whispers against his skin before pulling back. She gives him one last lingering look before turning and heading back up to her house.

She doesn't watch Daryl leave as she hears the cop car start and takeoff down her driveway.

XXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxXXX

Beth must have fallen asleep, because when she opens her eyes the sun is an orange outside and is just beginning to set. Her jacket is rolled up in a ball underneath her head and she is laid out on the floor of the bedroom on the second floor. The light is coming through the stained glass window in streams of blue, purple, and orange.

Beth rubs her eyes with her hand and turns over her head coming into contact with a warm shoulder.

Beth reaches her hand over and makes contact with a firm chest. She looks up to see a sleeping Daryl laying next to her. His eyes are closed and he is laying on his back, his hand lingering on her hip.

Beth sucks in a breath and feels her cheeks heat up. She leans her head forward and makes a brief brush of contact to his chest. He makes a soft noise and then his arm is coming around her waist and pulling her tighter to him.

Beth closes her eyes and sinks into his side. His warm skin comforting her and pulling her back into sleep.

She forces herself to stay awake for a few moments as she enjoys the feeling of Daryl being wrapped around her. She lifts her head and looks at his calm face. Whatever he had to deal with today has been forgotten, for now at least. Beth is sure that they will have to deal with it in the morning. But for now all she can think about is the way she fits perfectly against Daryl's side. She closes her eyes and rests her face against his chest.

Her first time sleeping in her house she is doing it with Daryl at her side. She couldn't think of a more fitting thing.

* * *

**another short chapter. Sorry. Finals are still murdering me but it seems that plot bunnies are born when I have a lot of work to do.**


End file.
